Heavy Rain, a PlayStation3 exclusive, is a unique new kind of game developed by Quantic Dream. The game is a powerful interactive drama, with intensely absorbing experiences that precisely conveys the tension, urgency, surprise and tragedy that the characters feel. The ongoing narrative changes to your every action and improving a deeply personal journey that leave everyone who undertakes it with something slightly different.
“How far are you prepared to go to save someone you love?” is the central question within Heavy Rain. The protagonist, Ethan Mars, is compelled to answer that question. After Ethan’s son goes missing and is rumored to be the latest victim of the mysterious Origami Killer. Ethan vows to do whatever it takes to save in son. Besides playing as Ethan, you also play three other characters who are seemingly unrelated to one another but are drawn into the case: Scott Shelby, a private investigator; Norman Jayden, an FBI criminal profiler; and Madison Paige, an insomniac.
Heavy Rain is an immersive interactive drama that will suck you in and not spit you out. As you control each of the four characters, onscreen prompts will have you pressing buttons in sequence, move the right analog stick in the exact directions as shown onscreen, shake the controller, and more to interact with the scenes. Each input is correspondingly difficult to the tasks being performed. When a character is scared or stressed, the floating onscreen prompts will tremble. The exceptional control scheme does a marvelous job at grounding you to the characters and their emotional states. A lot of action is to be found in forms of brutal or violent brawls, heart-pounding chases, and deadly gunfights, but even with such things as brushing your teeth and rocking a baby are rather engaging tasks which strengthens your bond with the characters.
Heavy Rain does not bother keeping track on your progress in terms of success and failure, for there is no right or wrong way to play. No matter what your outcome may be, the game will move forward and adapt to the consequences of your actions. Although the overall narrative framework is firm, your performance throughout the game can have a variety of effects, ranging from subtle changes in how a scene plays out to much bigger problems. Entire events might not even occur due to your actions and choices causing the plot to branch in a new direction. It’s even possible for one of the characters to die, consequently eliminating any subsequent contributions to the story that they might have made.
Heavy Rain is gorgeous looking game. The visual design of the environments is rather outstanding, and weather your visiting a dirty old creepy apartment building or a gorgeous forest utopia, the thorough amount of detailing put into the game in incredibly fascinating. Character models are so realistic, predominately in the way they move and interact. An irregular awkward animation can occur, like a robot-like move up the stairs or your stuck in place for a split second. Overall characters move extremely well.
Music will stir up your emotions in just the right way. When a scene starts to intensify the music becomes rapid paced, indicating that something bad is happening or will happen. When something depressing happens in a scene, the music becomes rather slow and gloomy. The voice acting is amazing, completing the human element to round out the experience.
Heavy Rain is a bold and revolutionary game that should be played by all who look upon its cover. Everything that happens in Heavy Rain will effect your emotions as it engages you into it’s universe. It’s astonishing visuals and outstanding voice overs will have you admiring the game every moment you click a button. The soundtrack will have you sitting at the edge of you seat. Hop on the roller coaster and give Heavy Rain a try!
